The easiest explanation that comes to mind is that I am a misanthrope. I pearticularly dislike those under the age of 40. Real loathing is however saved up for the Ken and Barbie know-nothings who backpack around the world masquerading as teachers.

Damn. And earning your approval was the primary goal of my life! <kiss>

Actually the organizsation "Liberty India" appears to be one of those right-wing think tanks that American corporations subsidize throughout the world in order to further their interests.

Wouldn't surprise me to find out that the particlar village has been picked for use as a dam, logging camp, test for GM crops or whatever, and that the summer coamp forms part of the softening up process.

"Could you perhaps explain this crusade of yours to demean the native English speakers. Did one of these backpackers run off with your wife or something?" asked my friend Steve in Saudi.

It was not my aim to demean the native speaker teacher of EFL. Rather to make us open our eyes to what can be done by those who are non-native speakers. I am horrified by the low educational level of many (including graduates) in this business. Often non-native speakers have a much better general education and degree of literacy.

Non-native speakers do not have a much higher level of literacy and general education.

You're comparing pears with oranges.

A "non-native" univerrsity graduate and trained teacher will have a higher level of literacy and general education than a native-speaker backpacker who just scraped though High School, but that is an unfair comparison.

And you must remember that the reason many punters ask for native speakers is that they have been burnt by incompent non-native "experts"; at least the backpacker knows his own langiuage.

And if you could see some of the applicattions I get from lecturers at Pakistani universities and other tertiary insititutions you would be slightly more understanding.

And I can tell you some horror stories about Spanish graduates in English I have taught too.

Not just high school dropouts display poor command of written English. If you have a chance to look at recent graduates from the less prestigious institutions of "Our Sceptred Isle" you will be horrified. So do not make the assumption that native speaker is literate and the non-native speaker incompetent. That is all.